No. 8: Wolverines count on offensive firepower

Editor's Note: Beginning with No. 25 TCU and counting toward the release of the 2007 College Football Annuals, Athlon will release one spot in its Top 25 every weekday for five weeks. The No. 1 team will be revealed June 1. Check AthlonSports.com every day to see who’s next in the countdown as Athlon Sports celebrates its 40th anniversary. The 2007 versions of Athlon’s College Football Annuals hit newsstands June 5th.

No. 8: Michigan

Coach Lloyd Carr’s Wolverines were shooting for the 2006 national title and were right on course until their hopes came crashing to earth at season’s end. The hiring of Ron English as defensive coordinator had rejuvenated the Wolverines, who played like a team on a mission. We will learn a lot more about English’s acumen this year, however, with the departures of end LaMarr Woodley, the 2006 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, and tackle Alan Branch from the front four, along with linebackers Prescott Burgess and David Harris and cornerback Leon Hall.

This year the shot in the arm comes from the decisions of quarterback Chad Henne and running back Mike Hart to return for their senior year. Henne has thrown 70 career touchdown passes, completing better than 60 percent of his attempts; Hart finished ninth nationally last fall in rushing with 120 yards per game.

Receiver Mario Manningham will open up the defense for the running game, having averaged 18.5 yards on 38 catches with nine touchdown grabs in ’06. When Manningham missed three midseason games with an injury, it resonated through the entire offense. Adrian Arrington is a terrific No. 2 option, and Henne needs to look his way more often.

Backup running backs Kevin Grady and Brandon Minor rushed for five touchdowns between them last fall, but Grady suffered a season-ending knee injury in the spring. Hart, who came in fifth in last year’s Heisman voting after running for 1,562 yards and 14 touchdowns, is clearly the featured back and the spearhead of the attack. One of the nation’s best offensive lines will pave the way, with All-America tackle Jake Long and All-Big Ten guard Adam Kraus both back as seniors.

Defensively, the troops will rally around linebacker Shawn Crable and safeties Jamar Adams and Brandent Englemon.

The Wolverines will play their first four and six of their first seven games of 2007 in the Big House. They also close at home vs. Ohio State. Oregon, Notre Dame and Penn State come to Michigan Stadium on consecutive September Saturdays. The only real challenge on the road will be the Wisconsin game on Nov. 10.

Notes:
» Michigan led the nation in rushing defense in 2006. It was the only team to hold opponents under 50 rushing yards per game and less than two yards per run.

» Michigan finished second nationally in time of possession last season, averaging 33:27 per game, only eight seconds behind first-place Texas A&M.

» The Wolverines turned the ball over a measly 12 times last year, the fewest of any team in the nation.

2007 Schedule
S.       1    Appalachian State
S.       8    Oregon
S.     15    Notre Dame
S.     22    Penn State
S.     29    at Northwestern
O.       6    Eastern Michigan
O.     13    Purdue
O.     20    at Illinois
O.     27    Minnesota
N.       3    at Michigan State
N.     10    at Wisconsin
N.     17    Ohio State

Read the entire Michigan preview by ordering your Athlon Sports 2007 College Football Regional and National magazines today!

Also coming to AthlonSports.com this summer:
– Top 25 Heisman Hopefuls
– Live chats with Athlon editors
– Conference-preview videocasts.

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